999 crew had lunch as baby ‘lay dying’

AN ambulance crew took more than 40 minutes to reach a critically ill baby because they were on a lunch break, his parents said last night.

Six-week old Thomas Passant who suffered a heart attack but had to wait 45 minutes for an ambulance

Eight-week-old Thomas Passant “died” for four minutes before being resuscitated after a heart attack and is still fighting for his life. He has undergone 14 hours of open-heart surgery and faces a life of disability.

Parents Kate Oram and Matthew Passant called West Midlands Ambulance Service after Thomas had a cardiac arrest at their home in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, on December 17.

They were stunned when the operator told them the crew was unavailable as it was on a lunch break.

I understand they have got to have breaks but if years ago when I was a fire officer I had sat outside someone’s burning house and told them I was just going to finish my sandwich, I don’t think they would have been at all pleased

Thomas’s grandad Paul

The family said it took 41 minutes from the 999 call to the crew arriving from Donnington, near Shrewsbury. The crew had taken an undisturbed break so it did not show up as available on the 999 operator’s system.

Thomas’s grandad Paul, 56, said: “I understand they have got to have breaks but if years ago when I was a fire officer I had sat outside someone’s burning house and told them I was just going to finish my sandwich, I don’t think they would have been at all pleased. They knew how critically ill Thomas was and how important time was. It’s disgusting.”

Doctors now fear Thomas could be left with a permanent heart defect following his ordeal.

Paul said: “It is always going to be in our minds the damage that has been done to Thomas’s heart was caused by the hold-up of the ambulance service. My grandson will have a disability and he’s going to miss out on so much. It is breaking our hearts.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service defended the delay. A spokesman said: “The crews work 12-hour shifts and have the right to a meal break. Staff can request that their break is not disturbed, meaning they will not show up as an available ambulance. The crew sent to Thomas was on an undisturbed break when the 999 call came through. As soon as it was over, they were shown as available and sent to Bridgnorth.”